Singapore Airlines' hospitality and cabin service has been recognised with awards from magazines, travel and tourism industries, including the 'World's Best Cabin Crew Service' by the Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards for 17 consecutive years. The long running campaign since its inception, emphasises these service aspects, featuring bona fide SIA stewardess.
Contents
* 1 Origins
o 1.1 Global Icon
* 2 Recruitment
o 2.1 Uniform
* 3 Criticisms
* 4 References
* 5 External links
Origins
The iconic images and branding of the Singapore Girl was first established in 1968 during the era of Singapore Airlines' predecessor, Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA), when the airlines of Malaysia and Singapore were still joined together in developing and expanding an intercontinental network. The "Sarong Kebaya" uniform was first introduced by MSA and worn by the flight stewardesses and was later developed to become the prominent symbol of Singapore Airlines' corporate image. The original branding was developed by Ian Batey.
An example of the Singapore Girl
Malaysia-Singapore Airlines ceased operations on 1 October 1972 and Singapore Airlines took over as its successor. Singapore Girl was coined in 1972 when Pierre Balmain, a French haute couture designer, was hired by Singapore Airlines to construct and update the Malay "Sarong Kebaya" as part of the cabin crew's uniform. Since then, the uniform has gained worldwide recognition as part of SIA's recognizable signature branding.
Since 1972, the image of the Singapore Girl has appeared in advertisements in almost all media forms and promotions across the world.
Global Icon
The Singapore Girl has become a visual trademark[10] and brand
] for Singapore Airlines together with the slogan - "A Great Way To Fly". The Singapore Girl is said to engender "Asian values and hospitality" and has been described as "caring, warm, gentle, elegant and serene".
A wax figure of the Singapore Girl was created and shown at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London in 1994, as the first figure to represent a commercial undertaking. This sculpture was sent to the Delta Air Lines shuttle concourse at LaGuardia Airport in New York City in 1995.
In March 2004, the Singapore Girl won the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award for the 18th Singapore Tourism Board (STB)'s Tourism Award.
Recently the Singapore Girl has been seen in television commercials promoting Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ER Business Class and the Airbus A380 whose maiden commercial voyage to Sydney was made on 25 October 2007.
Recruitment
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As part of efforts to build the image of the "Singapore Girl", the airline runs a rigorous training program for cabin and flight crew. The airline's repute, and the resulting prestige of the job has allowed it to be highly selective during its recruitment process as it receives numerous applications locally and from around the region. Singapore Airlines used to recruit only Singaporeans and Malaysians as cabin crew, but since 1995, in line with its global expansion, recruitment extended to other countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Taiwan to minimise language barriers between cabin crew and travellers.
About 20% of applicants of each recruitment drive are successful and sent for training on their first steps to becoming a "Singapore Girl".
Some of the strict rules and regulations for the crew include:
* The airline requires stewardesses and stewards to color their hair black or dark brown. The airline does not allow for stewardesses or stewards to use highlights. Acceptable shades of hair colours are black or dark brown. Stewardesses with long hair are to coil their hair into buns or French Twists. Stewards are to sport short hair above their collar lines and sideburns no longer that the ear lobes. Fringes (bangs) of Stewards do not touch eyebrows.
* No fanciful, dangling earrings allowed. Only studs or pearls. No chains and necklaces allowed. Only simple bracelets and rings can be worn. Only small and simple watches can be worn.
* A spare kebaya must be brought for every flight, even short one-hour flights.
* Safety shoes, or covered sandals must be worn during takeoff and landing. At other times, she should wear the batik slippers.
* Toenails must be of the bright red colour prescribed by the company. If her toenails are not painted, stockings must be worn to substitute for the non red toenails.
* Eyebrows must be shaped, and cannot be the fake drawn-on or tattooed types. Eye shadow must be of the color prescribed by the company - either blue or brown, depending on skin tone.
* Lipstick colour must be among the few shades of bright red prescribed by the company. Pink or plum colors are not allowed.
* Nail polish must be of the bright red colour prescribed by the company. Nails should not be chipped.
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